How to Get a College Application Fee Waiver

The cost of a college education is a hot topic these days, and for good reason: Simply applying to college can be an expensive undertaking. There’s the cost of standardized tests, the application fee, and travel costs for campus visits. Before you know it, you may have to spend $100 or more for each school you apply to. One way to reduce this financial burden is to obtain an application fee waiver.

College applications often cost money. Many schools charge an application fee, usually due upon submission, to help cover the time and resources needed to review transcripts, essays, and other documentation.

These fees can range between $15 and $90 for U.S. undergraduate applicants, with the average amount falling around $40-$50. Graduate and international application fees typically cost more, sometimes exceeding $100.

However, not all schools charge an application fee. Institutions like La Sierra University and Carlow University offer free application submission. Likewise, many schools with completely online programs have removed application fees. Examples include the Florida Institute of Technology, Southern New Hampshire University, and Maryville University.

Degree-seekers should consider application expenses besides the submission fee. These typically include the following:

Application fee waivers remove the standard cost of applying to help make education more accessible for students with limited financial resources. High costs can stop candidates from applying, especially when they have multiple school application fees to consider. Many institutions realize this and offer a fee waiver to welcome all applicants.

Fee waivers are generally given to students who demonstrate financial need. However, some schools will allow any student to avoid paying the application fee if they meet certain requirements, such as making an official on-campus visit.

For students who request a fee waiver based on financial need, the exact requirements to qualify will depend on the waiver process the student is using. For example, some schools have their own fee waiver application process. However, students can expect a fee waiver if they receive government assistance based on their participation in programs for low-income families.

There are several methods by which students can obtain or qualify for college application fee waivers. Many of these will require you to submit a separate fee waiver form.

Many colleges will waive the application fee if you apply online. Examples include:

If students prefer not to apply online, they can mail in a paper application, although the regular application fee will apply.

Most schools with application fees allow students to apply for application fee waivers. The process differs for each school but often includes completing a separate form outlining the student’s financial situation.

Institutions like the University of Oklahoma have developed an alumni waiver program to encourage recruitment. Potential students can ask a graduate for a waiver code to submit when applying. Gonzaga University includes a similar program but requires an alum to request the waiver on the student’s behalf.

Several colleges offer an application fee waiver for students who visit the campus. For example, Clarion University invites students to complete a paper or online application for free while on campus. Other schools, like West Virginia University, provide waiver vouchers for visiting applicants.

A few schools grant fee waivers for students whose parents — or sometimes grandparents or other family members — graduated from a particular school. The University of New Haven is one such school that offers a legacy fee waiver.

If you’re applying as an international student, some schools will waive the application fee. Ithaca College is an example of a college with this benefit.

Current and former service members can request an application fee waiver at several schools, such as Princeton University, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and the University of Pittsburgh. Applicants may need to provide proof of service.

Students who express interest in a school, such as by providing contact information at a college recruitment fair or considering playing a sport at the school, may receive a special invitation to apply for free. In other instances, the invitation to apply with a waived application fee can be unsolicited.

Students eligible for the College Board’s SAT testing fee waiver will automatically be eligible for four college application fee waivers. Students are eligible for SAT testing fee waivers if they are enrolled in the National School Lunch Program, have a family income that falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines, are enrolled in a government program for low-income students, are a member of a family that receives public assistance, are living in federally subsidized public housing or living in a foster home, or are homeless, a ward of the state, or an orphan.

If you are eligible for the ACT test fee waiver, you may also be eligible for the Request for Waiver or Deferral of College Admission Application Fee. The requirements for the ACT test fee waiver are very similar to the SAT test fee waiver.

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) allows students to apply to up to four colleges without having to pay the application fee. A student will be eligible for a NACAC college application fee waiver if they meet the requirements for an SAT or ACT testing fee waiver. While most colleges and universities will accept a NACAC college application fee waiver, not all of them will.

A: Students should write a special circumstances letter to the admissions representative at the school who is assigned to them. In the letter, the student should explain their personal situation and the difference between how things look on paper versus how they actually are in real life. Better yet, if the school is local, the student should go for an in-person interview with their admissions representative to make his or her case. It doesn’t work 100% of the time, but the majority of the time, talking to someone works. And if the student is a strong applicant, a school usually does try to come through.

A: If a school doesn’t offer a fee waiver, a student or family should reach out to the local college access organization (like College Now). There are many college access organizations across the country that work to guide students and families through the college application and financial aid process. Here is a list of college access organizations that are members of the National College Attainment Network (NCAN): NCAN Membership List.

Another resource is The College Board, which offers up to four free college application waivers to students who are income-eligible to receive an SAT fee waiver.